Obama’s approval ratings on foreign policy are at their lowest ever. This could mark the second time he has squandered an advantage he came in with.

Pakistan’s new army chief, arguably the most powerful man in the country, recently wrapped up his first foreign visit to none other than Saudi Arabia. Now that the possibility of an Iran-United States rapprochement has increased, the Gulf Arabs are looking to Pakistan as a possible counterweight.

Somewhere, somehow, someone wasn’t keeping their eye on the ball. Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general announced that Iran was now invited to the Geneva peace conference on Syria, leaving the U.S. with a bit of a mess on its hands.